This biennial exhibition is usually something of a mixed bag. Although selected to some degree, it has always been designed to be an open exhibition offering, as it does, the chance for everyone to submit entries. This has resulted, in the past, in a somewhat uneven exhibition. This year, however, showed a huge upswing in the quality of exhibits. Big names were present but, in many ways, it was the work of newcomers to the exhibition circuit that provided the freshness and variety to this year's show. Val Toombes' piece 'Nature 1, Technology 0', made as it was from silk and natural fibres, has been selected for the New Zealand Wearable Art Show, a notable achievement. Wearable Art is a difficult field but Val had created a structured piece in wonderful zingy colours that really put the 'art' into clothing. We can't show you a photo now, due to the New Zealand exhibition restrictions, but we will bring you one in a later issue. 'You can't have your cake and eat it' by Zoe Cox (below) was great fun. Her mock cakes, which included a chocolate eclair and Battenburg, were so lifelike that you felt you could eat them. Humorous touches like this serve to enliven exhibitions and are sometimes missing in the big 'heavyweight' shows. |
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It was good to see work from Carol Naylor who featured in the September 2003 issue of Workshop on the Web. Her study of Spanish landscape and land patterns conveyed sensations of heat and light. Ruby Lever's work, based on corset design, always draws admiring crowds and the hanging of these pieces next to 'Flower Power' by Patricia Sales was particularly well thought out. This delightful study was technically perfect and beautifully delicate. One of the delights of a mixed exhibition like this one is that you get to see traditional work, such as Mary Hanney's exemplary stitching, especially her treatment of light. Annette Mark's hand stitching in her bird studies was incredibly lifelike. Kate Davis is a wonderful silk painter and her piece 'Irises' (detail below) shows how simple quilting and hand stitching can enhance the painted surface. |
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It was a great joy for me to see the name Barbara Siedlecka under three very attractive, painterly pieces. One of these, 'Anderston Flyovers', is shown on the right. Barbara is one of my favourite artists and has been 'missing' from the exhibition scene for too long. Trained as an illustrator, her work has always straddled the art-textile borders and her drawing is just wonderful. She tells me that there is to be a retrospective exhibition of her work and that is certainly one I'll look forward to reviewing. Fiona Rainford showed some delightful pieces based on tropical vegetation. The work was simple but imaginative, contrasting a single stitched area with delicate patterns. The colour scheme drew it all together and the three pieces in the exhibition were hung together to make an impact. 'Tropical # 18' is shown below. |
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'Barn Mosaic' by Stef Francis is shown above. Using layers of sheer fabrics with beads, wires and hand-stitching, I liked the way this was framed by a very textured border. Although appearing haphazard, it was a well thought-out piece in an unusual colourway. Sheila O'Gorman's fig studies were strong, well constructed pieces (detail of Fig 1 shown right). Silk fabric print and applied padded shapes were enhanced by both hand and machine embroidery to produce well-observed and interesting work. The venue of the exhibition, the Long Hall at Ramster, meant that the light was not good, particularly in the evening when I visited. This may have resulted in some slight colour changes to the work shown and precluded any photos of glazed pieces, so I can't bring you Yvonne Morton's fabulous 'Kuba Portal' in which every shape and pattern combined to produce an atmospheric work. Similarly, Brenda Weeks' clever pieces where simple flower designs burst out onto their mounts in a most effective way. Also Joy Real's appliqué piece was most unusual. The appliqué was raised by the directional stitching to a painterly immediacy reminiscent of an old master. Ramster is a delightful place for an exhibition with the Long Hall adding such atmosphere and the beautiful gardens asking to be explored. Not to mention the cream teas. . . |
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